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Friday, August 19, 2011

Did you know that bubble gum was invented in the 1920s by am accountant named Walter Diemer? Did you know that the first bubble gum was pink because Walter thought it needed a color and pink was the only thing available?

I really enjoyed this quick picture book about an invention that everyone has tried at one time or another. The author, Meghan McCarthy, includes all sorts of facts at the back of the book to give readers more information.

This is definitely a book that I will share with the kids at Callahan this fall!

Friday, August 5, 2011

I've always had a fascination with pirate stories and vampire stories. I know some of you at Callahan like pirates and vampires, too, so I looked around for something that would be appropriate for fifth grade students and I think I found it!

I just read Book 1 in the Vampirates series by Justin Somper. It was entertaining and not too gory! It's about a set of twins who are orphaned at the age of 14. They take off in their dad's boat and are separated when a huge storm hits. One of them winds up with vampirates. The book definitely held my interest and I am looking forward to reading the next adventure.

Callahan kids-you will surely get introduced to these characters! I bought the first three books in the series for our school.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

I really like the author Phyllis Reynolds Naylor and I usually love stories that are set in the Wild West, so I was very excited to read the Rhode Island Children's Book Award nominee Emily's Fortune. I just finished it today and I was not disappointed!This book is about an orphan named Emily who is trying to make it to her Aunt's house before either her greedy Uncle Victor or a group of orphan catchers can catch her first. Along the way she makes friends with another orphan named Jackson who helps her along the way. The story is filled with exciting twists and kept me eager to keep going at the end of every chapter.

My favorite thing about Emily's Fortune was the friendship between Emily and Jackson. Jackson was a very loyal and kind friend to Emily when she did not have any one else to count on. I particularly liked the part when he helped her learn to climb trees. I have always liked to climb trees, but I am very bad at it. I get very nervous, confused and clumsy, with lots of close calls just like Emily did at first. The difference between Emily and me is that she actually got better because Jackson helped her, and I'm still a terrible climber!

If you have read Emily's Fortune, post a comment and tell us: what in tumblin' tarnation did you like best about it?